Mine-door



C. H. PAYNE.

MINE DOOR- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. 1919.

\ Patented Mar. 30, 1920 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W r vEssEs O c. H. PAYN'E.

MINE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11, 1919'.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z- I gwvc/wkm KWMSHPAYI/E v Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Win 5555s C. H. PAYNE.

MINE DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1|. m

m WE mm MW, 0 m AM am Mm 5 d3 1 m z w w m P 5 I O s 5 NN m 3 3 1 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. PAYNE, OF SODDY, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR F ONE-THIRD T0 JOHN J.

CLIFT, OF SODDY, TENNESSEE. I 1

MINE-DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed October 11, i919. Serial No. 329,902.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES PAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Soddy, in the county of Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to appliances for use in mining operations and more particularly to means for confining the air to the portion of the mine being worked thereby conserving'the fresh air and minimizing the cost of operation. Specifically considered the invention relates to mine doors. which are adapted to be automatically operated by the passage of the cars to and from the shaft,

the construction being such that the door is automatically opened from either approach and automatically closes after the car has passed by the point at which the door is set up. a

The drawings illustrate a referred embodiment of the invention. owever, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions, various changes in the form, proportiom and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1n s:-

Tigure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a railway such as commonly employed in mines showing a door and actuating means therefor in cooperative relation therewith.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section onthe directhe line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in tionof the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section-on the line 33 of Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line l4 of Fig. 1 looking to the left as designated by the arrows.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional details on the lines 55 and 6-6- respectively of Fig. 1, showing the parts on a larger scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings, by like reference characters.

The railway illustrated is of ordinary construction such as commonly provided in mines and comprises a continuous track 1 'and an interrupted track 2, the latter con the fixed rail 2 and the movable rail 3. The

short sections 5 normally occupy an inclined posltlon as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. L nks 6 form connecting means between the several sections 2 and 3 of the interrupted rail. The depressible rail section 3 is adapted to be automatically operated by the weight of the car passing thereover and is of such a length as to admit of the door being operated from either approach and in such a manner as to provide for the passa e of the car without interference between tfie car and the door or any part of the door actuating mechanism. The movable rail section 3 is so mounted that weight applied to either end thereof will cause a depression of the rail so as to operate the door actuating means and effect an opening of the door in advance of the car, said door automatically closing in the rear of the car after the same has cleared the movable rail.

' The movable rail is provided in the length of therailway at the point where the door is required to be located and a suitable frame work is erected midway the length of the movable rail and constitutes supporting means for the door. This frame work comprises uprights 7 and upper cross piece 8 and a lower cross piece 9 the latter extending beneath the rail comprising the track. Suitable braces 10 are disposed at opposite sidesof the frame work and connect at their inner upper ends with the cross piece 8. The door comprises two members or'leaves 11 and 12 which are hinged at their outer vertical edges to the frame work adjacent the upright 7. The leaves or members comprising the door may be of any desired construction and the doors are of such width as to overlap at their inner opposing'edges as shown most clearly'in Fig. 1. The doors are mounted so as to swing to open positions in opposite directions. That is to say when one of the leaves of members 11 swings to the right, the companion member or'leaf swings to the left.

one end to an arm 1 1 projecting outwardly from the axis of the member 11 and at its opposite end to abracket '15 at a point inwardly from the aXis of the membcr12. As a result of this arrangement movement imparted to one 01 the leaves or members 11 or 12 is transmitted to the other member or leal so that both members swing in unison in opposite directions. p

A bell crank lever is located at one side of the track and comprises a longitudinally disposed. arm 16 and a transversely arranged arm 17. The transversearm 17 is connected with the leaf or member 12 by meansof a keeper 18 the latter being disposed near the inner edge of the member 12. This bell crank lever is normally held in a given pos.ition by means of a contractile helical spring 19 which is connected at oneend to the arm 16 and at its oppositeend to a lever 20 which is pivotally mountedintermediate its ends on a suitable support at one side of the track. The opposite end of the lever 20 is 1 adj ustably connected with the adjacent brace 10-as indicated at 21' wherebv thetension of the spring 19 may be adjusted as required. A chain or cable 21 is connected at one end to the arm 16 of the bell crank lever and passes over guide pulleys 22 and is provided in its length with a contractile helical spring23. A bell crank 24 is interposed in the length of the chain or cable 21. An operating lever 25 has an end of the chain or cable 21 adjustably connected thereto. By manipulating the lever 25 the bell crank 1617 may be operated to swing the leaves or members of the door into open position, against the tension of the spring 19. When the lever 25 is released theleaves of the door are closed by the action of the spring 19. The spring 23 compensates for any sudden pull upon the chain or cable 21 thereby preventing a too rapid movement of the door'by a sudden pull upon the chain or cable 21.

At one side of the track is located a plu guide pulleys over which passes the chain or cable 21. A plurality of bars 27 is disposed transversely of the track. These bars project at one end beyond the movable rail section 3 and their outer ends receive pulleys 28 whichengage the upper side of the chain or cable 21 at points intermediate the standards 26. The bars 27 are loosely connected at one end to the rail 1 so as to recelve a plvotal movement and are connected withthe movable rail section 3 to operate 7 therewith. By reason ofthe'disposition of the parts the outer ends of the bars 27 provided with the pulleys 28 are depressed when the'rail section '3 is moved downwardly thereby deflecting the chain or cable intermediate the standards 26 with the result thatv the :bell. crank-1617 is operated and sustain the. vertical thrust of the expansible outer ends of the bars 127.

the action ofthe door in opening and closing the door thrown into open position. The

bars 27 may be connected in any manner to the rails 1 and 3. TheeXtreme bars 27 are provided with short cross bars 29 which spring 1.

The short rail sections 5 are connected with the'rail 1 by means of ties 30. The end of the tie 30, adjacent the rail 1 is formed with an opening to receive a. strap 31 which is made secureatzitsnpper -.endto :the :rail- 1 and at its lower end to a block or .chair 82.

shown in the accompanying drawings. The

movable'rail section 3 isznormally held elevated by means of the springs 4 and the leaves or members. 11 and 12 of the dooreX- tend across the track and have-their inner edges overlapped. Then a car approaches the door in either direction it exerts a downward pressure .on the movable rail section 3 thereby depressing such rail section and the I This action results in exerting a pull upon the chain or cable .21 whereby the bell crank ,1617 is operated and theleaves of the door thrown into open position. After the ,car passes by the door and clears the movable rail section the latteris elevated and the parts assume a normal position. It will be understood that is wholly automatic, being controlledbythe weight ofthe car'as it passes over the movable rail sectionv of the track.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure'by .Lctters Patent, is rality of standards 26 in which are mounted ra-rportion of the operating chain in elevated position .and'means connected with the de pressible rail section andzadapted ;to engage the operating chain intermediate the "said supporting means whereby to effect a pull on said operating hain when the depressible rail section is moved downward.

3. In combination, a track embodying a depressible rail section, a door normally closing the space above the track, an operating chain, connecting means between the op erating chain and door, spaced supports for holding a portion of the operating chain in elevated position, and a bar extending transversely of the track and connected with the depressihle rail section to move therewith and engagin the operating chain intermediate the Stl spaced supporting means therefor.

41-. In combination, a track including a depressible rail section, a door for closin the space above the tracks, a bell crank lever having one of its arms connected with the door, an operating chain connected with the other arm of the bell crank lever, a spring normally exerting a pressure on the bell crank lever to hold the door in closed position, means for varying the tension of the spring, a compensating spring in the length of the operating chain, and a bar projecting laterally from the depressible rail section and engaging the operating chain to exert a pull thereon when the depressible rail section is moved downward.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. PAYNE. Witnesses:

R. F. SKELLEM, J. T. HALETT. 

